Maureen O'Hara

Maureen FitzSimons (17 August 1920 until 24 October 2015) was an Irish singer, actress and actor who achieved fame in Hollywood in the 1940s and into the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was famous for her passionate but sensible heroines, often in Westerns and adventure films. Her talent for stardom was first noticed by actor Charles Laughton, who brought her to Hollywood and at numerous times she worked alongside director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne. O'Hara was born and was raised in Dublin, Ireland, in an Irish Catholic family, and aspired to become an actress at an early age. O'Hara began her studies in the Abbey Theatre and the Rathmines Theatre Company when she was just 10 years old. After the screen test, she was disqualified. However, Charles Laughton recognized her potential and offered her as a star in Alfred Hitchcock's Jamaica Inn in 1939. RKO Pictures gave her a contract. From there, she went on to enjoy a lengthy and highly successful career, and was given the title "the Queen of Technicolor". She appeared in films such as How Green Was My Valley (1941) (her first collaboration with John Ford), The Black Swan with Tyrone Power (1942), The Spanish Main (1945), Sinbad the Sailor (1947), the Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street (1947) with John Payne and Natalie Wood as well as Comanche Territory (1950). She first appeared in Rio Grande (1950), along with John Wayne (the actor with whom she has the most connection). The Quiet Man (1952) The Wings of Eagles(57), McLintock were the subsequent films. (1963), as well as Big Jake (2001). Wayne was so adept at chemistry with O'Hara that many believed that they were in a relationship. O'Hara began to assume more mommy roles in the 1960s as she grew older. She appeared in films like The Deadly Companions (1961), The Parent Trap (611) and The Rare Breed (1966). In 1971, she resigned from the film industry. However, she returned to the film industry 20 years later to play with John Candy in Only the Lonely (1991).